Code Keyblade
by Shade the Hero
Summary: Death is not the destination, only the beginning of another journey.
1. Chapter 1

**Once again, I try to take a break from updates and I get an idea for a new fic. This one won't be updated as often as Saving the Lost, I'm really on fire with that one. And with the update for one of my other stories I thought maybe I'd try something different. **

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix, Code Geass belongs to Clamp. I own nothing save for the story plot. Enjoy!**

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**Code Keyblade**

**Prologue: Dive of the Demon Heart**

The pain was unlike anything he imagined it would be, the feeble attempts of his own heart, trying to continue to pulse blood even though it had been torn asunder by the blade. Lelouch felt a strange sense of calm, knowing that his plan had succeeded. His sister was safe and free to lead the people into a gentler world and Suzaku, would always be there to protect her, as Zero; the hero. With that in mind, Lelouch gladly let death take him.

He let go and allowed himself to sink into the dark abyss. He descended slowly, it felt like he was underwater. Was this really what death was like? The current carried him to the bottom as turned him upside right. He landed on something solid. A strange glow of light caused him to open his eyes.

What laid out before him wasn't the bottom of the ocean, or fiery pit of hell like he assumed he deserved, but a stain glass surface. It was very well detailed. On one side, there was a picture of Lelouch in his school uniform and on the other side, Zero, the miracle worker. In the background was Ashferd Academy and in small circles near the top were pictures of those he held most dear as friends and family. Euphie, Nunnally, Suzaku, Kallen, C.C., Shirley.

_So much to do, so little time_

The voice seemed to echo all around him, but it seemed more like a thought. He didn't actually 'hear' it and couldn't tell whether it was male or female nor where it came from.

"Who's there?"

_Don't worry, there is still time..._

_...a power sleeps within, if you give it form it will show you the way._

Three small pillars rose up from the stained glass. One held a shield, the other a mage's staff, and the third, a sword.

_Choose carefully..._

Lelouch looked at each one of them, but didn't move from his spot. "What is this? How can this be what death is?"

_Life is a journey, not a destination. Yet, neither is death. Your destiny will become clear..._

It was all Lelouch could do not to laugh, he never believed in such a thing as destiny. Events happened in one of only two ways, you fall in to someone's plan or you make your own. It was that simple. Still, he was curious. what exactly was this power if it wasn't Geass? He already had that, though he didn't care to use it anymore. He was dead after all and doubted it would do him much good in the afterlife.

He approached the staff and examined it.

_The Power of the Mystic...a Staff of wonder and ruin...do you accept this power?_

Lelouch put the staff back. As far as he was concerned magic didn't exist. He approached the Sword next.

_The power of the Warrior...an item of power and destruction...do you accept this power?_

Lelouch set that one back as well. He had already caused enough destruction and was tired of carrying that weight. It only reminded him that he simply wished to rest in peace. However, it seemed this voice wouldn't let him go so easily. He walked over to the shield and picked it up, not even waiting to hear what abilities it had.

_you have chosen the power of the guardian, now what will you give up in exchange?_

That part was easy. He had no use for magic, so he pointed to the staff, waving his hand like he had many times while using his geass. "I give up the power of the mystic."

The three pillars collapsed and vanished back into the stained glass. A door appeared in front of him. Leouch thought perhaps this was some final test to determine where his soul would rest. Perhaps a final judgement was needed to determine if he was indeed the Demon Emperor. He opened the door and was consumed by a blinding light.

When he opened his eyes again, he was standing back in Ashferd Academy. Three people were there, people he knew. Rivalz approached him first.

"What scares you the most?"

It was a strange question, one Lelouch didn't know how to answer at first. He thought perhaps this was all some crazy dream, but none of this seemed right. "To learn that my plan failed, and that Nunnally is still in danger."

"Really? is the idea of failing really that bad?" he asked, but Rivalz said no more and stepped aside for the next person. Kallen.

"Tell me Lelouch, What's the one thing you regret most?"

Again, he had to give this some thought. There were several things that he regretted, but he had tried to atone for them. "I lost some people that I cared about. I couldn't save them, and their deaths were my fault as a result."

"Is that so?" Like Rivalz, she walked back to where she had been standing to let the third person approach. It was Suzaku.

"What's most important to you, Lelouch, friends or power?"

What kind of idiotic question was that. He cared for his friends, that was the whole reason why he fought to attain the power he had. "Friends."

Suzaku smiled hearing that. "I'm relieved to hear you say that."

Lelouch suddenly felt so tired, like he had been awake for far too long. He wanted to sleep, but he soon found himself opening his eyes to the same platform of stained glass. The un-spoken voice was back again as well.

_You fear failure, you regret not being able to protect those you care for and you chose friendship over power,...your destiny lies before you. That day is both far off and very near..._

The ground beneath him opened up into a sea of darkness and Lelouch began to sink into it. no matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free.

_but don't be afraid, you hold the power to unlock your destiny and release your fate..._

The shadows covered his face and wrapped around his throat.

_and don't forget, you chose the greatest power of all._

.

.

.

The waves crashed along the shore of a small island. Its hot, white sand seemed very bright in the afternoon sun as two boys walked along the beach. they were talking about simple things and fully enjoying spending the day on their favorite stomping grounds. The taller boy stopped and pointed to the beach farther ahead of them. Someone was laying in the surf. They both ran to check it out.

They gently rolled the young man over on to his back. The older teenager checked for a pulse and was relieved when he felt the steady heartbeat. They didn't have a clue where he had come from or who he was, but what they did know was that he needed first aid and fast.

Between the two of them, they gently carried him over towards one of the boats that was docked at the makeshift pier. They had to get him to the main island.

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**Please, tell me what you think, even if you don't think it's that good. any feedback is appreciated. I'd just like to know if I should continue. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One: Awake to Destiny**

Lelouch slowly opened his eyes only to shut them tightly again. The sunlight was shining through the blinds hanging from the window next to his bed. He sat up and blinked, trying to chase away the annoying colored spots that still danced around his vision. He was in what looked like someone's bedroom. A bookshelf to the left wall and a desk next to that. Lelouch got up and scanned for anything that would give him a clue about where he was or who brought him here. A book lay open on the desk and was covered in a layer of dust. Lelouch closed it and read the cover: "_Raft Builder's Guide" _was the title. There was also a drawing on the desk of what looked like a sketch of a completed raft.

After looking around the room a bit more he noticed a few other things. A decent-sized blue radio in the corner by the night stand, a dart board on the wall and a couple of weights sitting in the corner. From what Lelouch had observed, this person was probably well-built, was into either fishing or boat-making and enjoyed simple things in his spare time. Lelouch also deduced that he was near the coast, as he could hear seagulls and breaking waves outside the window in the distance.

It was then that he spotted a mirror on the wall. Lelouch was a bit surprised to see his new attire. His white, Emperor's robes were gone and in their place were blue shorts and a white T-shirt. He thought about removing his contact lens to see if he still possessed he Geass when the door knob moved. Not sure what to expect, he came up with about three possible means of escape if needed.

The door opened and a teen with silver hair entered. "Oh, You're awake," he came in carrying a bundle of clothes.

Lelouch relaxed a little. The boy's posture and attitude didn't suggest anything aggressive, in fact he reminded him a little of Suzaku.

"My friend and I found you washed up on the shore. You were out cold and your clothes were pretty much ruined. They were torn and stained, so I looked through some of my old cloths and found some that might fit."

_"Yep, definitely like Suzaku,"_ Lelouch thought.

"Uh, thanks, but where exactly am I? How far are we from the Tokyo settlement?"

"Tokyo?" asked the silverette, "Never heard of it."

"Then maybe you call it something else; Japan? Area Eleven?"

Again he shook his head, "Sorry, there's no place like that on Destiny Islands."

He laid the clothes on the bed and smirked at the raven-hair. "My name's Riku, maybe after you get something to eat we'll head down to the beach and help you get back home, or at least help you try to figure out where your home is."

With that he left the room, closing the door behind him. Lelouch looked down at the neat pile of clothes. _"Riku huh. He's a bit strange, but I think I can trust him, he hasn't even recognized who I am so, maybe I shouldn't worry too much about being found out," _His thoughts were interrupted as he realized that he had no idea how he was even still alive.

He lifted off his shirt and looked at the wound on his chest. Only a light scar revealed that he had ever been stabbed. It definitely proved that it wasn't a dream, but how did he heal so quickly and how was he even still alive? _"Unless that dream really wasn't a dream. But what did that voice mean by power?" _Putting those thoughts aside, Lelouch went to the task of finding some clothes that would fit.

A few minutes later he had come down the stairs to the kitchen. He was wearing a pair of black, semi-baggy pants with several zippers and metal belt loops. His shirt was a sleeveless dark blue. Lelouch wasn't used to wearing this style, but it was alright. At least it wasn't soaked in blood and he kind of liked it.

As Lelouch entered the kitchen he was greeted with the smell of breakfast. Some waffles with the classic bacon, eggs and toast. It didn't feel like it was that long ago that Lelouch had eaten, but the smell alone made his stomach growl.

"I kinda fibbed to my mom and told her Sora was coming over so she made a bigger breakfast," Riku had already gotten out a second plate and glass. Lelouch didn't argue and went about filling up his plate. As he poured a glass of orange juice he couldn't help but smirk.

_"Orange Boy, I wonder if he decided to serve Nunnally or if he moved out to the farmland to start a grove like he planned,"_

Riku raised an eye brow. "Something funny?"

"Nothing," Lelouch replied, "just thinking about what's going on back home."

"Well, don't worry," Riku said cutting piece of egg and chomping down on it, "After breakfast, we'll try to get you back home. Sora's probably already waiting for us at the beach..." a thought cross his mind as he swallowed, "Or he's still sound asleep in bed."

_~C*K~_

The waves endlessly washed up along the shore as Two teens leaned against a white fence in front of some houses. One was a girl with pinkish, red hair and the other was a spiky-haired brunette. The boy stretched and yawned as he leaned back against the fence looking out at his favorite island. The girl next to him giggled. "What's the matter, not get enough sleep, or is the quiet life at home starting to bore you?"

"It's a little quiet, but far from boring. I'm just glad it's back to the way it was," he replied.

Sora would never forget that horrible night when his world's heart was taken and what was left was consumed by darkness. He had tried to protect it, but having just received the Keyblade that night, he wasn't nearly as strong. Now was a completely different story. After two adventures across a vast universe of worlds, he was more than skilled enough to defend his world from the heartless.

"Wonder how that guy's doing?" asked Sora.

"The one you and Riku found?" asked Kairi, "You say he washed up on the island, right?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, kinda like you did all those years ago."

This gave Kiari some thought. "Maybe, he came from another world."

"It's possible. I've never seen him before and his clothes were definitely weird."

"How so?"

Sora tried to remember the details. "They kinda reminded me of the Emperor's robes. I met him in the Land of Dragons, though they were still very different. This guy's robes were white with a black design and a big ugly red stain on the front and back."

"Red stain? You don't think it was blood, do you?" Kairi couldn't help but voice her thoughts, even if was something she didn't like to think about.

"I don't think so, that'd have to be a nasty injury for him to bleed that much," replied Sora.

"Well, let's ask him," Kairi replied as she began to wave. Sora looked over to his right where Riku and the stranger were approaching.

_. . ._

After breakfast Riku lead Lelouch to the beach, pointing out several landmarks along the way. Places like the local school, the market, and the old basketball court. Lelouch really didn't care, but he kept his opinions to himself. No sense being rude to the person who was helping him out. Someone waving in the distance caught his attention. It was a girl with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair. Next to her was a boy with spiky brown hair. _"This must be the friend Riku mentioned,"_ Lelouch assumed.

"Took you long enough," Sora complained, the smirk on his face showing he was only joking.

"Well excuse me for being late _one _day. It's a miracle that you're up this early," Riku teased back.

"Early?" Lelouch couldn't help but ask, it was already after ten.

"Don't fill him with lies!" Sora flailed his arms, "Besides, that was one time and I had been up late the night before!"

"Alright you two, knock it off. You're being rude," Kairi turned to the new comer, "Hello, My name's Kairi."

"I'm Sora," replied the brunette with bright smile.

"I'm Lelouch," he replied.

The group made their way to the small boats and before long were walking along the shores of the small island.

"This is where we found you," Riku pointed to the beach past the dock, over by the large wooden wall.

"There was nothing else," Sora added, "no wood, no wreckage from any boat, nothing."

Lelouch was looking out at the ocean that seemed to go on forever. "I doubt they would've given me a burial at sea, where am I?"

The group was confused by his words, it was Sora who spoke up first. "You're on Destiny Islands,...but it sounds like...you're not from this world."

Lelouch looked over at Sora and raised an eye brow. "This world?"

Sora gave him the short version of explaining the concept of the existence of other worlds. When he had finished Lelouch was even more confused than before.

"So, you're saying I'm from another world?"

Sora nodded.

"And each world has its own set of rules and timelines,"

Sora nodded again. Lelouch pinched the bridge of his eyebrows, trying to fight the headache that was coming on. Playing chess and leading an army of knightmares he could handle, but this was something that was out of his league.

Kairi pulled Riku closer and whispered in his ear, "He doesn't look so good."

"Yeah, It's probably a lot to take in, we still don't know what happened to him before he got here." Riku didn't want to think about it, but the more he thought about it, the more that large stain on his clothes gave him a bad feeling.

"Hey," Riku finally spoke up, getting Sora and Lelouch's attention, "Let's see if Master Yen Sid knows something that might help."

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" beamed Sora.

"Master who?"

Lelouch wasn't exactly sure if he should go along with them. They had helped him, but he wasn't sure he was willing to buy their story about other worlds. That's when he remembered the world of C. That place had been very strange and yet it was definitely a world all of its own. Perhaps this was something similar.

Kairi led the group as Riku explained who Master Yen Sid was while Sora just walked along with his arms behind his head.

_~C*K~_

Meanwhile, far off on the world of Radiant Garden, Yuffie and Leon had been carrying a conversation. Well, Leon was listening while Yuffie was complaining. She had a few things to gripe about regarding several people. They had rounded the corner that was leading towards the bailey and came up to the stairs when they were stunned by the four people who were laying unconscious on the lower steps.

Yuffie bent down and checked the pulse of the youngest girl with long, curly hair which was a sandy, light brown in color. After finding out she was just unconscious she check the other two girls. One with short, spiky pink hair and the other with Long green hair. They were the same as the first. The fourth however, was wearing a black outfit and their face was hidden behind a black mask that covered their entire head.

"I'll go get the others," Leon stated as he rushed off.

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**I know, I know this update is really late. I'm sorry. It's not always easy jumping back and forth between three separate series at once. I'll try to answer your questions without spoiling anything that may be coming up in future chapters. **

**KingdomWarrior125: I hope this chapter satisfied you, and no, there will be no yaoi in this story. **

**ElectroNerd: Yes, you got it right. ^^ There will be some scenes that involve the 'world' where Lelouch is from so, it may help to paint a better picture of the anime for you. It's a very good one and I highly recommend it. **

**Wraith Kone: Yeah, I'm sorry 'bout that. That's always been the tricky part for writing for Lelouch. He's way smarter than I am. xD I'll keep that in mind for future chapters and hopefully this chapter was better. **

**Great fan-M: I haven't exactly decided on a specific timeline, but it's definitely after KH2 and before KH3. **

**Random Dudeguy: You bring up some very good points that I'll admit I didn't think about. I've been thinking over some of those questions and that's partly what's what taking so long for the update, I've had to redo a bit of the original plot, but I'm happy to say it's better than the original. I think you may be happy with the results and as for Lulu's issue with believing in magic, all I can say is, some things are easier to believe than others. He'll come around. ;)**

**Thank you all for your reviews. If you have any more questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in a review. The next chapter we get to see why four teens showed up in world far away from their own. **


	3. Chapter 3

_**I wanted to thank a reviewer which pointed out a mistake. I'll go back and fix it shortly. It's nothing big, just a minor detail which has been corrected in this chapter. I don't know where I got the inspiration to write this chapter so soon. I was trying to focus on Fool's Checkmate and Broken Wings. *shrugs* oh well, I'm not going to complain. I said I'd go into Lelouch's world a bit and hopefully this chapter reveals a little of what's happened and also clears some confusion to those who aren't so familiar with the Code Geass series. **_

_**I probably should have said this before, but SPOILER WARNING! If you have not watched Code Geass and want to, then please, wait to read this until you've finished the series. Major plot points will be revealed in this story and I don't want to ruin the anime for you if you like surprises.  
**_

_**Okay, spoiler alert aside, enjoy. ^^ **_

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**Chapter Two: Paradise Falls**

Nunnally slowly opened her eyes. Everything hurt and she felt like she had endured a painful fall from her wheelchair. Then it all came back to her.

"Oh no!"

"It's okay, you're with friends." came a gentle soothing voice that reminded the sandy-haired girl of her mother.

She looked up at the speaker with her light purple eyes. "Did everyone get out safely?"

"Only four of us are here, who knows what happened to the others," replied the blunt, uncaring tone of the green haired girl.

"You're a cold one," replied Cid who was sitting at the table drinking his coffee.

The woman who had been trying to calm Nunnally gave Cid a stern look. "They've just been through something horrible, you can't blame them for their reactions. We all deal with fear differently."

"I'm not afraid. As an immortal I can't be killed. I'm just annoyed that I'm stuck here is all."

"No one's forcing you to stay, lady," retorted Cid.

C.C. glared at him before walking out the front door and slamming it shut behind her. This woke up the red-head that was laying on the spare mattress that had been pulled out for her to sleep on.

Kallen rubbed her eyes as if waking up from a simple nap. "What happened?"

"Oh good," Aerith smiled, "I'm glad you're awake, I was worried about your forehead, but you seem to be alright."

"My forehead?" Kallen placed a careful hand to her head and felt a large bump. Looking over to the mirror on the far wall she could make out an ugly purple bruise on her head.

Nunnally sat up and looked around. "Where are we? This isn't near the palace."

"Nope, this is Radiant Garden," replied Cid.

"A garden?" asked Kallen who looked outside the window. She only saw the gray bricks from the protective wall and the rooftops of nearby houses.

"It used to be a beautiful garden and will be once again, as soon as more repairs are made. I plan to plant a few flowers myself," replied Aerith with a gentle smile.

Nunnally looked down and saw Zero laying in a sleeping bag. It was the only thing they had left aside from the two beds. The girl tried to move to where she could try and stir him awake.

"Zero? Zero, please wake up."

Nothing.

Kallen looked over at him next and moved over to help. They both tried, but he was still out cold.

"He was pretty banged up, which is surprising with that helmet on," commented Cid with an annoyed edge.

Kallen looked up at them and for the first time, fully grasped the events of the previous night. "How did we get here?"

"Our friends Leon and Yuffie found you all on the steps not too far from here. You were unconscious and looked like we did when he ended up in Traverse Town."

"Can ya tell us the last thing you remember?" asked Cid.

Nunnally and Kallen looked at each other as they recalled the previous night.

_~*~. . .~*~_

It was the eve of Princess Nunnally's coronation. She was to be crowned the 100th Empress of the Holy Britannian Empire the next morning and she wanted her last night as princess to be spent with her friends. In spite of last month's events the world had recovered quickly after the fall of the Demon King. Peace had been restored to the world as every nation joined together to not only welcome Britannia, but to welcome every single person as family.

The previous king had enslaved the world, tortured the innocent and killed any who resisted. On the night following his death Japan celebrated for four straight days. Zero was the world's champion and hero. The man who worked miracles; an eternal light that burned through the coldest darkness. The man under the mask had been cursed by the king. A curse that was perhaps so cruel it made him feel hollow. However, he chose to use this curse as a gift. A gift to protect the future Empress and all she stood for. A gift to protect his friends and family, his country and every innocent person in the name of justice. That was Suzaku's new goal in life. A life made eternal by the power of Geass.

"Hey," called a voice from behind him.

Zero turned and saw Kallen. The ace pilot of the Black Knights and the former Zero's Q-1. She seemed gentle and sweet on first appearance, but appearances could be deceiving. Her short, spiky red hair reflected the strong fire that burned brightly in her eyes and in her soul. She was a true champion and couldn't be bested on the battlefield. Constantly an equal match for the Lancelot and its pilot, she had made quite the name for herself that would surely go down in history.

"I never got to thank you, for saving us that day," she said while walking up to him.

Suzaku had to keep his identity secret. From her, from the princess, from everyone.

"I couldn't stand by and watch the demon king murder countless of innocents. His reign of terror had to be stopped." Suzaku's best friend had a much better flair for the dramatics than he did.

"Still," Kallen smiled, "It's nice to know that there's someone else who shared his vision, even if he had lost sight of it."

Zero was about to reply when a flash of green caught his attention. A woman with golden eyes and long, flowing green hair that stopped just below her waist approached the two.

"The princess has requested an audience with all of her guests, It's in your best interests to hear what she has to say."

Kallen glared at the woman. Of all the people that knew the Demon King best, it was C.C.. Kallen never understood why he had valued her input over everything else, especially when she could be such a pain in the ass.

Zero motioned for Kallen to go first. "Shall we then?"

_. . ._

Princess Nunnally sat at the head of the main ballroom as she waited for all of her guests to gather before her. She nodded to C.C. when Zero and Kallen arrived and began.

"Everyone in this room played a big role in the events that occurred over the past two years. Some of you are from the Black Knights while others are from my own military."

It was true. Nearly every person who had been there from the incident in the Shinjiku ghetto to the first and second wars that the black Knights fought to liberate Japan to the destruction of the F.L.E.I.J.A. warheads to the betrayal of Zero and to the Demon King's death. Some of them were soldiers, some students, some were just people who wanted freedom and equality for everyone. Nunnally acknowledged them all and knew that even the smallest role played a big part in the peace they all had today.

"I've gathered you all here because of your efforts and deeds and to reveal a truth that needs to be told."

Zero didn't like where this was going. What truth could affect everyone involved? He didn't have to wait long as she continued.

"You all know that the Demon King was my older brother, but...but that title is wrong. He wasn't a demon. He was a hero."

The room let out a collective gasp. It was Cornelia, her older sister who regained the ability to speak first.

"You can't be serious. After all the atrocities he committed? Killing his own siblings, using all those under him like pawns? Controlling the world through fear? Those aren't the deeds of a hero!"

"Unless that's what he wanted you to believe," C.C. cut in. "Honestly, you people can be so dumb sometimes. You wanted peace so he gave you peace. If you need more of an explanation than that you're all hopeless."

She then looked over at the princess, "Too blunt?"

Nunnally smiled, "A bit." She then continued with her speech, now that she once again had the floor.

"C.C. is right. It came off as a bit harsh, but she's right. My brother and I were forced to live in exile after being disowned by our father, the 98th Emperor, Char-"

"Please, don't say his name," requested General Tohdoh.

The princess nodded and continued. "We were forced to live in a country that was being taken over by the very nation that sent us away. Not that I minded it, Japan was and always is a truly wonderful land. I grew up happy with my brother always there..." she hesitated for a moment, reliving beloved memories that she kept treasured in her heart. "You've only seen one side of my brother and you accused him of being a monster. I'm guilty of the same crime, but I also knew him as a gentle person. Someone who would always go out of his way to make me smile, even if it meant going out late at night to get some pizza."

C.C. pouted a bit at the mention of pizza. Her accomplice still owed her some.

Nunnally picked up her glass. "I know you may not believe me and you have good reason not to, but know that what my brother did, he did it for us. For the world. Even if it meant he would never get to see the end result of his hard work."

She held up her glass. "To my brother, the 99th Emperor of Britannia!"

No one raised their glass.

"To the former king."

Everyone turned to see Zero holding up his glass. This surprised many, for it was Zero who had killed the Emperor. If he raised his glass to his fallen foe then,

"To the fallen!" declared Tohdoh.

Everyone in turn raised their glasses and repeated the toast.

Kallen was last to raise hers. "To you, Lelouch."

A clash of thunder sounded from outside as lightning flashed and lit up the windows. The wind kicked up and startled some of the guests. Kallen and Cornelia were among the first to the windows. A raging storm was blowing outside. Cornelia looked up and gasped in shock.

"What is that thing?!"

Above the storm, was a strange dark orb which contained ominous red energy. The lightning was coming from it and spreading into the gathering storm. Kallen took a step back from Cornelia as two yellow eyes lit up from the base of her shadow. It began to rise up and take a shape of its own.

"We-we're under attack!" she shouted as she kicked the creature which lunged for her.

Panic and chaos ensued. Zero instantly stood in front of the princess to protect her. More creatures appeared out of the shadows and crawled along the ground, rising up to catch their victims off guard only to sink back into the ground and come at them from a different direction.

Some of the Black Knights tried to mount some kind of counter attack which didn't hold up so well, despite the General's strategy.

Meanwhile, Zero had tried to get Nunnally to safety. He pushed her wheelchair along the halls, being careful around corners and avoiding stairs wherever possible.

"I can't leave everyone behind," she shouted as the masked hero pushed her along.

"Forgive me, but I can't let these creatures hurt you. They'll be fine."

He kept pushing the wheelchair along until a large tree that had been pulled up from its roots tipped over and crashed through the window. Its thick branches just missed the princess as Zero pulled her from her wheelchair. The two fell to the floor as the broken wood settled.

Nunnally sat up from where she fell and looked at her previous position. Her wheelchair had been crushed under the weight of the thick branches. Zero hadn't been so lucky. A branch had struck him hard in the back and there was blood staining his mask.

"Zero?! You're injured!"

"Don't worry about me," he replied. His voice was thick with pain, but he brushed it aside. Her safety was more important. Besides, he was confident that his curse to live would keep him safe.

He tried to carry the princess, but in his current condition he couldn't lift her without stumbling. Still, he tried. He made it to the end of the hall when he went to stumble again. A shadow creature rose up from the ground and came at them. Nunnally screamed and Zero braced himself to kick at the creature when it was shot by someone from around the corner. It was Kallen. She and C.C. had managed to escape the main attacks as well.

"Thank god, someone else to talk to besides her," Kallen glared towards the immortal witch as she helped Zero carry the princess. It definitely made it easier for him.

"Let's go. It's no safe here anymore," C.C. stated as she led the others down the corridor and into a hanger.

The princess' personal flagship was sitting, fueled and ready to leave at any time. C.C. cared for Nunnally while Zero and Kallen occupied the pilot and copilot's seat. The door to the hanger slid open via remote control and the plane inched its way out of the hanger and on to the tarmac.

When it came to a stop at the start of the runway the four looked on in utter shock. all of the land surrounding the palace was dying, dead or simply not there. It was as if the ground beneath had fallen away into a vast, bottomless pit of nothingness.

Another rumble ensued and rattled the jet. C.C. looked out of the back window.

"We have to go NOW!"

Zero didn't like the fear that was clearly ringing in her voice. C.C. never showed fear. He pulled back and the plane rolled down the runway. Kallen got it up to speed and the ship rose into the sky, but not before a massive creature with its middle missing in the shape of a heart swung a dark, clawed fist at them. With its small wings it jumped up and ripped off the plane's tail and severely damaged its right wing.

"Everyone hold on!" shouted Zero.

The plane began to spin out of control and headed right towards to monster. It held out its claws, ready to tear the plane apart as if it were made of paper when Kallen decided to do something rash.

She turned the plane and aimed the nose right at the creature's head. If she was gonna go, she was goin' down fighting.

The plane struck the creature. There was an explosion and then nothing.

_~*~. . .~*~_

"Sounds like you got attacked by a Darkside," surmised Cid.

"A Darkside?" Kallen repeated in confusion.

"It's a type of heartless, one that comes when a world is being devoured by darkness," answered Aerith.

"But, our world was embraced with light," Nunnally argued.

"It don't matter if your world had light or dark, someone wanted your world's heart and they found it. We lost our world the same way," replied Cid.

"What do you mean 'your world'?" asked Kallen. "There only is one world."

"The universe is a lot bigger than you think," came a new voice.

They all turned to see Leon entering the room. "I've just spoke with Merlin. He said a star had recently gone out and he fears that what happened before might repeat itself."

"But, how can that be? Sora sealed all of the worlds with his Keyblade," replied Aerith.

"There are still many worlds he hasn't been to yet. Like I said, the universe is a big place."

Cid took another sip of his coffee and let out a long sigh, "Looks like the kid's adventure isn't over yet."


End file.
